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A Stay Against Confusion: Essays on Faith and Fiction (Paperback)

Description

In this vivid and deeply felt collection of essays, Ron Hansen talks about his novels, childhood, family, and mentors such as John Gardner. He explores prayer, stigmata, twentieth-century martyrs, and the Eucharist. A profile of his grandfather, a "tough-as-nails, brook-no-guff Colorado rancher," finds a place alongside a wonderfully informative portrait of Saint Ignatius of Loyola. A brilliant reading of a story by Leo Tolstoy follows an appreciation of the poetry of Gerard Manley Hopkins.

Surprisingly intimate, A Stay Against Confusion brings together the literary and religious impulses that inform the life of one of our most gifted fiction writers.

About the Author

Ron Hansen is the bestselling author of the novel Atticus (a finalist for the National Book Award), Hitler's Niece, Mariette in Ecstasy, Desperadoes, and Isn't It Romantic?, as well as a collection of short stories, a collection of essays, and a book for children. The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford was a finalist for the PEN/Faulkner Award. Ron Hansen lives in northern California, where he teaches at Santa Clara University.

Praise for A Stay Against Confusion: Essays on Faith and Fiction…

“Erudite and meditative, A Stay Against Confusion…depicts a profound, complex spirituality…brims with intelligence, passion and conviction.” -San Francisco Chronicle

"Refreshing and enlightening … only rarely does any writer explain himself so clearly and so courageously." -Los Angeles Times

“Wise and searching.” -Wall Street Journal

“A book that shines as a consequence of an accomplished writer’s deeply felt (and understood) moral and spiritual energy.” -Robert Coles, author of Lives of Moral Leadership

"Rich, eloquent and thoughtful ... This is a deeply satisfying read." -Publishers Weekly